Report: OKC Negotiating a Three-Year, $85 Million Extension With Russell Westbrook
All is not lost for the Thunder following Kevin Durant’s stunning departure, it seems.
OKC is reportedly discussing a three-year, $85 million contract renegotiation with All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook.
Sources on @TheVertical: Westbrook, OKC in serious talks on contract renegotiation to keep All-Star thru 2019. https://t.co/PesEXnCpJQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) August 4, 2016
The third year of the pact would reportedly include a player option that would allow Westbrook to become a free agent two summers from now.
Per Yahoo:
In the structure of a proposed deal, the renegotiation would move Westbrook’s salary in 2016-17 from $17.8 million to a $26.5 million max salary. Westbrook would make $28.5 million in 2017-18 and $30.6 million in the third year under the proposed renegotiated deal. Oklahoma City is able to offer the extension because it has the appropriate salary-cap space available.
For now, Westbrook is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in 2017, and a new contractual commitment to Oklahoma City in the wake of Kevin Durant’s departure could be instrumental in recruiting another elite free agent to the Thunder’s talented core next summer.
